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    Chris Battles Through Day Unbeaten

    12 April 2012

    Chris Dent produced a battling half-century, which saw him occupy the crease throughout an interrupted first day of the LV County Championship match against Hampshire at Southampton.

    The Gloucestershire opener was undefeated on 59 when bad light brought a premature close to proceedings, with the visitors handily placed on 195-4, having lost the toss.

    Ian Cockbain was the other batting hero with 52 not out. He and Dent added 108 for the fifth wicket without being parted.

    Dent had batted for just under four hours by the close of a day which saw only 60 overs bowled because of bad weather. The 21-year-old left-hander had faced 171 balls and hit 8 fours.

    Cockbain proved a reliable partner after Gloucestershire had slipped to 87-4, hitting 9 fours in his 118-ball innings.

    David Balcombe (3-38) was the bowler most responsible for putting the visitors in trouble, removing Richard Coughtrie (4), Dan Housego (0) and Hamish Marshall (18), while Sean Ervine dismissed Alex Gidman for 27.

    At the close Alex told this website: "I am delighted with the position we are in after having to contend with some of the toughest batting conditions you could imagine.

    "The ball was seaming all over the place and at times did too much to find the edge of the bat. We lost three wickets before lunch and it could have been a lot worse.

    "Ian Cockbain was dropped in the slips first ball, but from then on he and Chris Dent did a great job to put together such a meaningful partnership.

    "It was the sort of day when you needed a bit of luck and we earned ours by applying ourselves really well.

    "Chris left the ball particularly well and was very patient in awaiting the right balls to score off.

    "If we can put one or two more partnerships together tomorrow I would be very hopeful of our bowlers doing well on a pitch, which I don't expect to change much. It is damp and green, which was a surprise in view of the big scores that were made at the ground last season."

    As expected David Payne replaced Paul Muchall in the only change from the Gloucestershire team on duty for the opening Championship game against Essex.

    For details of the first day's play at Southampton click on Cricket and then Match Reports.

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